A Wren Says

 I can’t even remember what I planned to write about. All I know is that I wish I had brought a pair of earplugs to Starbucks. The music is blaring. Because I use this as basically an office rental, I am annoyed. The level of background noise meant I had to take my Zoom call outside in the summer heat.  I could complain about how it is affecting my experience, but let’s think about this another way. Maybe it is good for the baristas’ experience.

That seems odd, because why would you not lower the music to make your guests have a s good experience? However, my experience is largely hinging on how the barista interacts with me. If she hates her job, it is going to be difficult for her to give me good experience. Maybe just maybe, the music they play in the store helps her make her shift just that much more enjoyable. Music is such a small piece of this. But more broadly in this world of cost cutting, I want more retail establishments to invest in putting the employee experience first.

Employees should enjoy their jobs. I would want my employees to enjoy their jobs. Beyond the human interest, it is good marketing. Those who make your products, sell your products, and interact with your customers are all your employees. The people who tell the story of your company are your employees. Not just in your advertising, they tell the story to their friends and families, on their personal social media accounts, and to anyone who will listen. What is the story you want them to tell?

Before you set aside even more budget to put together slick ads or try and make a more profitable product design, make sure you’re investing in the people who make it all happen.